Fr. James Martin: The “Mastermind” Behind the Two Testimonies in the Vatican’s Synod Report on Homosexuality
The “plot” behind Study Group No. 9’s final report comes to light as the author of Testimony 1 is identified.
ROME, 14 May 2026 — Jesuit Father James Martin was a key figure behind the inclusion of two testimonies in the Study Group No. 9 report on homosexuality, released earlier this month by the Vatican’s General Secretariat of the Synod.
In an article published today in the Spanish-language online publication Página Católica (reproduced below in English), the author of Testimony 1 — a Portuguese layman openly living in a same-sex union — is revealed to be closely linked to the Jesuit priest.
Last week, the author of Testimony 2 was identified as Jason Steidl Jack, the man featured on the front page of The New York Times in 2023 being blessed by Fr. James Martin alongside his “husband,” one day after the publication of Fiducia Supplicans.
The revelations even further erode the credibility of the Synod on Synodality, long presented by the Vatican as an exercise in listening to the whole Church with broad ecclesial representation.
In a press release issued in five languages on May 5, Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, described the Final Report of Study Group No. 9 as touching on “the very heart of ecclesial life,” adding that it “offers concrete tools for addressing the most difficult questions without fleeing from complexity.”
“It is the synodal method applied to the most demanding situations,” he said.
However, the General Secretariat of the Synod is now distancing itself from the same report.
In comments today to Religión Confidencial, a secretariat spokesperson stressed that “the working groups have, as expected, worked autonomously” and that, therefore, “these reports cannot be attributed to the Synod Secretariat.”
“The Secretariat’s logo does not even appear, only that of the synodal process,” he added.
The spokesperson further emphasized that “these reports are only working documents.”
Here is the full article from Página Católica, published with the kind permission of the author.
Fr. James Martin’s “Plot”
The Mastermind Behind the Synod’s Two Testimonies on Homosexuality
During the time of the World Youth Day held in Portugal (August 2023), Father James Martin, SJ — a leading figure in the Catholic gay lobby — traveled to Lisbon to give talks before secondary-school and university students at the order’s educational institutions (“Poor kids and poor parents!”).
Under those circumstances, he also made time to travel to the shrine of Fátima, in the company of João and Lourenço, as he himself recounts in an article for Outreach. They had been introduced to him because João, who carried out a ministry in the basilica providing sign-language interpretation for deaf pilgrims, was an expert connoisseur of the Sanctuary. But there was another matter that would put them in tune with one another: João and Lourenço — the latter “a leader in a Christian Life Community in Lisbon” — were going to contract a civil marriage one month later and, having read Martin’s books, had many questions they wanted to ask him.
The priest recounts that the visit was “tremendously moving,” that “at one point, we prayed together beneath the great oak tree over which Mary had appeared,” and that, upon returning to Lisbon that night, “I told them as I left the car that night, one of the most enjoyable days of my life.”
The photograph (above) illustrating this post was taken by the priest during his trip.
Martin recounts this story in the article mentioned above, under the title “How Same-Sex Couples Have Blessed Me,” in which he mentions other similar couples, among them Jason (the author of the other testimony published by the Synod Study Group No. 9) and Damian, of whom he says:
“Last month, I was honored when I was asked to offer a blessing for two men I’ve known for some time: Jason, a Catholic theologian, and his husband Damian, a floral designer. Although it was a quick, informal blessing in the living room of my Jesuit community, I found it surprisingly moving.” (“Rejoice! At last, we know where the famous photograph published by the New York Times was taken.”)
Now then, on the website of the Shrine of Fátima there is a list of interpreters in Portuguese Sign Language, and on that list there are only two men, one of whom is João Costa — the very same person in the photograph with Lourenço.
Moreover, in the letter from the Portuguese layman published by the Synod, he says, when asked whether he had approached any movement or group focused on gay issues: “Eight years ago, I found my home in CVX... My spiritual life is anchored in the Eucharist, the daily Examen, and CVX.”
CVX, Christian Life Community, is an association of laypeople inspired by Ignatian — that is, Jesuit — spirituality.
In that same letter, the Portuguese layman says: “My husband’s family, though loving, made his reality a taboo subject. He is a sign interpreter and works some Sundays per month interpreting the Mass in Fátima.”
Our readers should not have much difficulty deducing, with a probability of 99.99, who the Portuguese layman is that wrote the letter published by the Synod.
In any case, the name of the person is not important, but rather what lies behind the circumstances surrounding him:
Both letters sent to the Synod were written by two friends of Father James Martin who are connected to the Jesuit order — one as a professor at Fordham University in the USA (in whose theology faculty 33% of the members are “LGBT” — Jason Steidl dixit), and the other as a leader in an Ignatian community in Lisbon. Is it really so far-fetched to suppose that these cases were chosen because they were fundamental in arriving at the result that was desired?
Because just as, at one time, the responses of bishops from all over the world were manipulated in Rome in order to revoke the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, it is reasonable to conclude that the testimonies published by the Synod appear to have been selected both because of their provenance (from the amici [friends]) and because of their content. The worst of politics is now being practiced in the Vatican.
We say “because of their content” because both testimonies coincide in everything:
A slanderous rejection of Catholic organizations such as Courage, which encourage the living out of homosexuality in chastity.
The characterization of homosexuality as a gift from God that, if possible, ought to be chosen.
A positive assessment of ecclesial ministries entrusted to homosexual couples, even when they have decided to continue in an irregular situation, because this signifies full acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle.
The [authors of the Study Group No. 9 final report] did not even trouble themselves to include some slightly divergent testimony in order to disguise it. They have such a firm grip on the handle of the frying pan that they fear nothing.
But there is something very grave in these letters: both individuals clearly let it be understood that they receive Holy Communion even while living in a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex [whom they call their “husband’], because they consider that, far from sex against nature being a sin, the grave fault consisted in having thought that Christ did not desire for them a full life (as homosexuals).
The Portuguese layman says:
“The breakthrough moment came when I realized that Christ was not waiting to condemn my relationship but was peacefully waiting for me to find him in my secrecy and loneliness. The real sin was not my love, but my lack of trust in His desire for my fulfilled life. I pray that we all dare to bring our whole lives – our deepest truths – into the light of Christ’s love, knowing He wants us to be whole, not broken or hidden.” (emphasis in original testimony).
This, then, must be the newfangled theology and catechism of the pro-gay priests (or simply gay priests) who, unfortunately, are occupying ever greater space within the hierarchy of the Church. And if the Synod publishes these two letters, with all the aberrations they contain and that can compromise the eternal salvation of many souls — if it publishes them without comment, or rather by saying that a “new paradigm” must prevail on this question — then it approves their content, which is something of a gravity seldom seen in Catholic history.
Let us pray that, before their time runs out, Fr. Martin and all those who are spreading this dangerous as well as filthy heresy may remember the words of the prophet Isaiah (5:20):
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and prudent in their own sight!
Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,
and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,
so their root shall be as rottenness,
and their blossom shall go up like dust;
because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,
and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Ah, ok, so the SG9 output was really a gay manifesto commissioned by James Martin, and not the whispering of the Holy Spirit as we were led to believe. Got it. Thanks.
The elephant in the room is the “born gay” myth that this document tacitly assumes. Let me assure you. The best of scientific evidence does not support the claim that people at born gay.